An Oklahoma man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his play in a conspiracy that resulted in trafficking firearms to Mexican cartels.
According to a press release shared by the Department of Justice, 46-year-old Andrew Scott Pierson from Jay, Oklahoma received his 12-year sentence by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.
“Our Special Agents worked diligently on this investigation to intercept illegal weapon components being trafficked to criminal organizations in Mexico," Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn said, according to the release. "Our goal is to disrupt and dismantle the illegal activity and this sentencing sends a message to those who seek to aid violent criminals that it will not be tolerated. ATF works aggressively to identify and investigate individuals who arm the ruthless organizations that are responsible for a majority of the extreme violence in Mexico.”'
According to the release, in May 2017 an Arkansas resident received a shipment of firearm parts that had been sent to him for cerakoting. Cerakoting is when polymer-ceramic coating is added to the firearm. The individual realized the parts were counterfeit and contacted local authorities.
The release says, "The counterfeit receivers were traced to an organization in Laredo, Texas, which was transporting firearm parts to Pierson in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Pierson assembled the parts into functioning weapons for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG)."
In 2018, Pierson admitted to ordering and receiving the parts from the U.S. and then manufacturing counterfeit firearms for the CDN and CJNG cartels in Mexico. A federal grand jury indicted Pierson on Sept. 3, 2019.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas who helped bring this investigation to a successful conclusion," Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division Thomas Noyes said. "Illegal shipments of weapons threaten the safety of all our communities. These crimes are a priority for Postal Inspectors and demonstrate the importance of our mission that includes the safeguarding of the Postal Service, its customers and preventing the illegal use of the U.S. Mail.”
According to the release, seven others were also indicted for their involvement.
Five codefendants previously pleaded guilty with one codefendant that is a fugitive, according to the release.
The release states that Pierson pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Fourth Superseding Indictment, conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act.
